Chapter Two
“I do believe the gauntlet has been thrown.” Cara raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think you can handle it, Jack.”
“Oooooh, you just used my full name. That’s when you know things are serious.”
“As serious as Gollum was about the precious.”
Jack pretended to look shocked. “Did you just use a lord of the rings reference on me, Tyler? You did not just go there.”
Cara gave him a toothy grin. “I did, watcha gonna do about it?”
“I so want to kick your ass right now. I can’t hit you because you’re a woman, but if I don’t, it’s sexist. I can’t win either way.”
“So get a sex change operation. I’d win either way.”
Jack scowled, and gave her the finger.
“Hahaha, very mature Jack.”
“Who said anything about mature? Now, come on, bring it.”
Cara gave him an amused grin. “Not just yet, I think. Anyways, look to clarify about our earlier discussion women take a lot of time if they’re really into products, make up and such. Believe me that stuff takes a lot of time, and there’s literally something for everything. Those who prefer the natural look, like myself, don’t bother.”
“It’s like Pandora’s Box has been opened,” Jack replied.
“Not quite that deep, no. Remind me again why I agreed to go on a date with you and your date?”
“Because of my awesome persuasion techniques, and because I told you that Laura is bringing a friend along, and we didn’t want her friend to feel left out.”
Cara shook her head. “How I let you talk me into these things is beyond me.”
“I’m going to go grab my jacket, and we can head out, okay?” Jack called out as he left the room and headed towards his own.
Cara patted her pockets and made sure that she had everything she wanted in her tote bag. She slipped her feet into the pair of black ballet flats and grabbed her leather jacket off of the coat rack.
***
“Isn’t the movie supposed to start soon?” Cara asked as she looked at Jack who was pacing back and forth and checking his watch. He’d pause every so often to peer at the door hopefully, but then his face would fall, and he’d resume his pacing.
“No, we’ve still got time. She’ll be here. She’s probably just stuck in traffic.”
Cara knew that Jack wouldn’t admit it, but he actually really liked Laura, and she could tell because of how nervous he was. Jack only got that anxious when he was crushing, and he was obviously crushing big time. He had met Laura about a month and a half ago while he was out auditioning for a play, and she was trying out too.
Neither of them got the parts, but they met each other, so some good came out of it at least. Laura was a Russian who had been living in America for a while. She was tall, leggy, and had classic supermodel Russian good looks. With her long wavy blonde hair, and her piercing green eyes, she caught the attention of most guys who passed her on the street.
Somehow though, she had zoomed in on Jack, who was handsome in his own way, but he continued to think that she was out of his league.
“Relax, Jack. We can miss the previews.” Cara whipped out her phone and began to check her Facebook.
“Miss the previews? That’s crazy talk! How else are we going to know what to catch next?”
Cara responded without looking up from her phone. “By checking the paper? Or checking their website?”
Jack paused and turned to look at her. “They have a paper? They have a website?”
Cara chuckled. “No, silly. I mean the paper. Newspapers!”
Jack’s face lit up in understanding. “Oh, that paper. I didn’t even know people still read that. It seems like everything is on a smart phone these days.”
“Most things are, but nothing beats an actual paper. And as for the website thing, yeah, they’ve had one for years. Haven’t you ever checked it?”
Jack thought for a moment. “No, I don’t think I have.”
Cara gave him a disbelieving look. “How do you think I always know what time the movie will start?”
“I thought you just came here often enough to know, or that you asked the usher, or the security guards or something.”
Cara didn’t have a response except leaning against the wall. “That’s actually a valid explanation, but no, that’s not what I do. It’s so much easier to just check online, and that way you can also know what’s out, and what isn’t.”
“You mean you check their website for that too?”
“Jeez, Jack. What are you, living under a rock? I see you using your laptop all time. How can you not know this?”
Jack looked a little embarrassed. “Well, I don’t exactly use my laptop for things like that. Mostly video games and porn.”
Cara raised an eyebrow. “Way too much info, dude.”
Jack shoved his hands into his pockets as he resumed his pacing. He stopped all of a sudden, and his face lit up with a smile before he schooled into an expression of nonchalance.
“Why do guys do that?” Cara pushed herself off the wall and went to stand next to him, assuming that Laura and her friend had arrived.
“Do what?” Jack asked without taking his eyes off of the door.
“Try to act all cool, macho, and indifferent. As if that’s somehow going to impress a woman.”
“I don’t know about the why exactly, Car, but I haven’t had any complaints, so far.”
Cara thought about it. “Interesting. I’ll have to ask someone else then.”
The door opened a second later to reveal Laura entering the movie theater dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and V-neck top that clung to her figure revealing a sJackl waist. She had a cute little cardigan on and a pair of heels.
Cara didn’t understand why anyone would wear heels at all, much less to the movie theater, but it’s not like there was a science to it.
Next to Laura stood a tall, muscular, and fit man with a mop of straight, dirty blonde hair, and a pair of glacier blue eyes. Cara suddenly straightened her back as she wondered if that was Laura’s friend.
When Laura began walking towards them, the blonde man began walking alongside her. Laura stopped in front of Jack and gave him a quick hug.
“Cara, it’s good to see you again.” She gave her a brief hug. Cara gave her a sJackl smile when she pulled away. “This is my friend, Kristoff.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kristoff.” Cara held out her hand. Kristoff stared it for a moment as if unsure of what to do, but then a quick glance at Laura who nodded made him take her hand in his.
He shook it quickly and dropped it again, as if she had some sort of disease.
“Hey, man, I’m Jack. It’s good to meet you.” Jack held out his hand, and Kristoff shook it firmly. Cara noticed the difference and frowned, but didn’t say anything. It was probably all just in her head anyway.
They made some sJackl talk as they got in line for the snack bar. They got four popcorns, four drinks, and a couple of different types of candy. Cara tried to converse with Kristoff the entire time, but he kept grunting or giving her monosyllabic responses.
Undeterred, she kept trying until she finally grew fed up, and dragged Jack to the side after giving Laura a quick apology.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were setting me up on a date?” she hissed quietly as they both checked to make sure that Laura and Kristoff couldn’t hear them.
“Didn’t I mention that?”
Cara give him a look, and Jack held up his hands defensively. “Okay, okay. I know I should’ve told you, but you wouldn’t have agreed to come, and Laura felt bad that Kristoff had no one to hang out with, so she asked me if I knew someone who could keep him company.”
“So, I’m being pimped out now?” Cara sounded half amused, half annoyed.
Jack shook his head empathetically. “No, come on, Car. You know it isn’t like that. I wouldn’t do that to you. I just thought it might do you some good to get out of the house, meet new people and stop dwelling on Jack.”
Cara felt the familiar twinge of pain at the sound of his name, and she grit her teeth to keep the memories at bay. “I thought we agreed we weren’t going to mention his name.”
“Car, I’m trying to be supportive, and I’m trying to give you your space, but it’s been months, and you still can’t talk about him. Whenever I bring him up, you clam up, or you start crying. Either way, you’re holding it all in, and that much hurt, that much pain, it can’t be good for you, bottling it all up like that.”
“I’m not bottling it up,” Cara replied.
Jack gave her a sad smile. “I know you think you aren’t. I know you think talking about it will only make it worse, and that maybe pretending it never existed will help you get better, but it’s just hardening your heart.”
Cara stared at him before she bit her lip and looked down. “I want to talk about it, Jack. I want to so much, but I’m just not ready yet.”
Jack wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick hug. “I know that. Someday, when you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here. In the meantime, I know Kristoff isn’t what you were expecting, but give him a chance. You’re the one who’s always saying we should be more like Belle from Beauty and the Beast and judge people less, and try to see what’s on the inside.”
“So, you do listen to me.” She smacked his arm playfully.
“Only half the time. Besides, I heard Emma Watson is playing Belle in the new live action remake, and she’s freaking hot.”
“Of course, you’d focus on that. You’re such a guy.” Cara rolled her eyes.
“Well, what else am I supposed to focus on? Come on, let’s go, Laura and Kristoff are waiting. Just try to enjoy it, okay?”
Cara nodded and followed reluctantly behind.
***
Halfway through the movie, Cara accidentally spilled orange soda on her blouse, and the result was that her blouse was now stuck to her skin and made it see through.
Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have minded, but with Kristoff on her left, she was much too aware of the fact that Kristoff’s eyes kept traveling to her chest. He wasn’t being subtle about it, not even when Cara crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance, so he would get the hint.
As the end credits rolled out, Kristoff leaned in and spoke to her for the first time all night. “You, me, hotel room, yes?”
Cara wheeled around to look at him. “Excuse me?”
Kristoff shrugged. “You don’t have to play games. I see you looking at me, wanting this body.”
Cara’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You were checking me out, not the other way around.”
Kristoff nodded in acknowledgement. “It’s true, but when I first saw you, I think, not my type of woman, but then I saw your chest, and I think, yes, she is my type of woman.”
Cara stood up abruptly and glared at him. “How dare you? You presumptuous douche bag! You were practically ogling my chest all night, and you think that because you’re Russian, I would feel flattered and throw myself at you?”
Kristoff calmly stood up. “Well, why not? You are an attractive woman, but you are big, so I don’t think a lot of men would offer this.”
Cara’s mouth moved, but no sound came out. Finally, Cara clamped her mouth shut, narrowed her eyes in vehemence, and punched him.
Kristoff’s hand snapped back, and he looked surprised as blood trickled down his nose. Cara clutched her hand in grim satisfaction as she stared at him with barely concealed rage. Jack came running towards her, and held her hand. “What happened?”
“The jackass tried to proposition me, and when I refused, he said that I’m lucky I even got an offer like that, considering the way I look.”
Jack clenched his jaw as he clenched and unclenched his fists. “He said that?”
Cara placed her hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Jack. Jack!” she shouted until Jack looked at her. “Look at me. He isn’t worth it. Besides, I already punched him.”
A muscle ticked in Jack’s jaw. “He can’t get away with what he said.”
Cara’s mind raced as she thought of what could happen if Jack lost his cool. He didn’t have an anger problem usually, but when it came to the people he loved, he was fiercely protective. He thought of Cara as his little sister, so he was doubly over protective.
All of a sudden, an idea raced into Cara’s mind. She clutched her hand and moaned. Jack’s eyes immediately snapped to hers. The look of fury in his eyes receded and was replaced with one of concern. “Are you okay, Car?”
“I think my hand is broken,” Cara said as she clutched her hand and pretended to wince. It wasn’t actually that hard. Her hand really did hurt, she was just exaggerating the pain to get him to focus on something other than his fury, and it was working.
His posture relaxed as he moved towards her and tried to reach for her hand. Cara snatched it away. “No, please. I just want to go to the hospital and get it checked out, please?”
Jack hesitated as he glanced back and forth between Kristoff, who by now was wiping the blood off his shirt and grimacing as he stuffed a tissue up his nose and Laura, who was glaring at him with barely concealed fury. Cara on the other hand was trying her best to pretend she was in more pain than she actually was.
Jack straightened himself up and nodded. “Okay, Car. Come on. Let me just say goodbye to Laura.”
He walked over to Laura who was looking at him with apprehension as she gestured between Kristoff and Cara. Kristoff and Laura were in the middle of some kind of standoff, and Jack obviously didn’t want to get in between.
He gave Laura a tight smile as he shot Kristoff a glare. Kristoff flipped him the bird as Laura placed both arms on his shoulders to stop him from doing anything stupid.
After a few whispered words from Laura, Jack visibly relaxed and gave her a soft smile. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and walked back towards Cara.
“What was that about?” Cara asked.
“Laura was explaining that she knew that Kristoff was in the wrong, and she even wanted to punch him on your behalf, but their families go way back, and she doesn’t want to start a fight. She is super pissed at him though, and he just shrugged and didn’t even seem apologetic.”
“Well, at least Laura turned out to be bad ass. I like her way more already.”
Jack gave her a distracted smile as they made their way out of the movie theater and towards the parking lot. They weaved in and out of crowds as Jack hovered close, trying to shield her from anyone who might be coming.
“I’m sorry, Car,” he said quietly as they walked towards his car in a semi-crowded parking lot with pulsing neon lights shining down on them. Jack took the keys out of his pocket and jingled them nervously. “I shouldn’t have tried to push you into going on a date again, especially with such a creep.”
Cara gave him a puzzled look. “What are you talking about, Jack? It’s not your fault. It’s not like you knew and set me up with him anyway.”
Jack began to scratch the back of his neck. “I know, but still. I should’ve known something was off when he wouldn’t shake your hand.”
Cara shrugged as she watched Jack insert the key into the lock. “You couldn’t have known, trust me. I didn’t even know. I thought he just had a thing about shaking a woman’s hand, which is strange, but not all that unusual. During the movie, when he kept glancing at my cleavage, it bothered me to no end, and I wanted to wipe that smug, sleazy grin right off of his face, but I didn’t want to overreact considering he hadn’t actually done anything, but the second he said those words, I snapped.”
They both got into the car, and Jack revved the engine. “You had every right to. I can’t believe he said those things to you.”
“I’m sorry I ruined your date, Jack. I know you were really looking forward to it.” Cara gave him an apologetic smile.
“Car, seriously, you shouldn’t say that. You were in trouble, you didn’t ruin anything.”
They drove in silence to the hospital. Jack fumbled with the radio for a bit before setting it to an oldies station that was playing backstreet boys.
Cara hummed along as she rolled down the car window and felt the cool breeze tickle her face.
“So how badly does it hurt?” Jack asked after a while as he switched on his turning signal and made a left turn.
“Not that much, actually,” Cara mumbled guiltily. “I might’ve exaggerated the pain just a bit to get you to snap out of it.”
Jack chuckled. “Yeah, I kind of figured you did. The only thing stronger than my desire to kick the living daylights out of him was my desire to make sure you’re okay, so yeah, you pretty much did the right thing.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Cara gave him a sJackl smile as the car slowed to a halt in front of a red traffic light.
“Anyway, it’s good to get it checked out anyway. I did hear a crunch at some point, so while I dearly hope it was his nose that paid the price, let’s not wait to find out if it’s your hand.”
“Good point,” Cara laughed as the light turned green, and they made a right down the interstate and out onto the street that would lead them to the hospital.
Jack found an empty spot and backed into it. They both walked out of the car and quietly walked towards the door. Jack held the door open for her, and the second they walked in, they were hit with the smell of disinfectant and detergent. Cara wrinkled her nose at the smell and went to the sign-in desk.
She asked for an appointment to get her hand checked and was asked to fill out a form. She quickly scribbled down her information, and was told to wait, and that the doctor would be with her as soon as he possibly could.
She and Jack took a seat, and Jack picked up a magazine and began to flip through the pages randomly. He dropped the magazine after a few minutes and began to jiggle his leg up and down.
“Would you stop that?” She placed her hand on his knee, and gave him an exasperated smile. “It’s really annoying.”
“Nervous habit. You know that, Car.”
“I know, but there’s nothing to be nervous about,” Cara pointed out as she settled back in her chair and stretched her legs. “It’s probably just a bruise or something.”
“Speaking of punches,” Jack turned around to face her. “Hasn’t anyone ever taught you how to punch?”
“Are you serious? Or are you kidding?” Cara’s eyebrow went up. “You know that I have two sisters, right? And they were all girly girls.”
“I know that,” Jack snorted. “I’ve met your sisters, but I thought maybe one of you learned how to take a hit and keep it coming.”
“Yeah, no, not really.” Cara shook her head, wondering what his line of thinking was.
“All these years, and I never knew, but then again, all these years, and I never saw you clock someone like that. That was pretty impressive.”
Cara grinned. “Thanks.”
Jack shot her an amused look. “But your punches could use some work. You have to tuck your thumb in to minimize the damage to your hand and maximize the amount of damage you could do.”
“Gee, thanks, Rocky. It’s not like I’m going to be getting into a fight anytime soon,” Cara said, very dryly.
“Well, I should certainly hope not, slugger, but still. You should probably learn these things just in case something like this ever happens again. After all, you want to make sure you’re disabling your attacker.”
One eyebrow went up. “Okay, so what do you propose?”
“I’ll teach you.” Jack looked pleased with the prospect. “I mean, I kick your ass on a daily basis anyway, but this should be fun.”
Cara shook her head. “You so do not kick my ass on a daily basis. I just let you think you do to spare your fragile Jacke ego, but now that I can see it’s going to your head, I’m going to stop.”
“Bring it on, Tyler.”
Cara was about to respond when the receptionist called her name out and said that the doctor was waiting for her. Cara and Jack walked towards the doctor’s office, and the door swung open to reveal a young brunette nurse.
She gave them a friendly smile as she began to ask questions and jot things down. Cara had her back turned when the doctor came in, so the only thing she heard was the sound of Jack hissing.
She wheeled around and came face to face with her Jack Frost. Her ex. He also happened to be her doctor.
******
“What seems to be the—” he trailed off, and the words died on his lips as he took in the sight of Cara’s bloody hands, and Jack’s tightened jaw.
Jack looked the same as the last time she saw him. Brown hair, brown eyes, medium height, and a killer smile. He was dressed in a pair of scrubs, but she could tell that he filled out since she last saw him.
Her heart did a little somersault before she could stop it, and she gritted her teeth as she gave him a blank look.
Jack cleared his throat as he peered down at his clipboard. “What seems to be the problem, Miss—” He paused as he pretended to glance down at her clipboard to read her name. “Miss Tyler?”
“She punched her date,” Jack offered mildly as he leaned against the wall and stared at Jack as if daring him to contradict him.
“She—what?” Jack’s voice betrayed him for a second before he remembered the presence of the nurse. “Oh, I see. That’s rather alarming, Miss Tyler. Did he attack you or something?”
“No, but he made me an offer I had to refuse,” Cara responded as she resolutely refused to make eye contact with him.
Jack stepped closer as he peered at Cara. “Did he hit you back, Miss Turner? Do you feel any dizziness? Any pain anywhere in your body?”
“No,” she replied through clenched teeth.
“Okay, good.” He jotted down something on his clipboard before he nervously tugged on the first button of his shirt. “Let’s take a look at that hand, shall we?”
Cara hesitated before she held out her hand for Jack to examine. Jack touched it gingerly at first as if afraid she might punch him too, then when she didn’t do anything, he began probing gently to see what the problem was.
Cara remained stoic the whole time, refusing to show how much agony she really was in.
Jack frowned as he checked his clipboard. “Miss Tyler, did you say you punched your date?”
“Yes,” she said as she gazed at him curiously wondering why he was just repeating what they had already established.
“Miss Tyler, we’re going to have to do an x-ray on your hand. I’m afraid that you might’ve broken a bone, or perhaps caused a hairline fracture. That must’ve been one heck of a jaw you punched.”
Cara rolled her eyes. “It was not that impressive, and neither was its owner, believe me.”
A smile twitched at the corner of his lips. “Nevertheless, I need to order the x-ray.”
He turned around to give the nurse instructions before jotting down something else on the clipboard. He gave the nurse the clipboard, gave them both a professional smile, and walked out of the room.
Jack turned to face her with a grim smile. “It’s just not your night, is it? Out of all the hospitals, and all the doctors—”
Cara held up her hand to stop him. “Don’t remind me. I must’ve elicited some really bad voodoo today.”
Cara sighed as she hopped off the bed and followed the nurse to the x-ray room. Jack gave her a thumb up as he waited outside in the waiting room.
*****
Jack held up the image against the fluorescent lights, and he kept making noises under his breath as he turned it this way and that.
He frowned as he turned around to face them. “I’m afraid it’s a hairline fracture, but you also did some serious damage to your thumb, Miss Tyler.”
Jack snorted. “Of course, she did.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Is something funny?”
“Inside joke,” Jack responded, icy venom seeping into his voice, not really appreciating the fact that Jack was addressing him. Jack hated Jack’s guts ever since they had broken up, even though he used to love the guy. It was quite sad, actually, but Cara couldn’t stop the inevitable fall out.
The sound of Jack’s shrill ringtone rang out in the confines of the sJackl office, and he hastily fished it out of his pocket. He switched off the ringer before he glowered. “Car, I should probably take this.”
He looked up into her eyes. “You going to be okay in here?” He tossed a quick look at Jack who busied himself with his notes.
Cara nodded and gave him a half smile. “Yeah, go ahead.”
Jack stepped out of the room, and quietly shut the door behind him. It was just Cara and Jack left in the room, and the tension in the room was suddenly very real and very palpable.
Cara cleared her throat first. “So, what do I need to do?”
Jack’s head shot up, startled that she was addressing him directly without any kind of hostility. He looked around the room for a moment as if to make sure she was actually talking to him. “Oh, right. Well, you’ll have to get a cast for your hand and a splinter for that thumb, so that the finger can heal properly.”
Cara nodded. “Anything else?”
Jack quickly glanced down at his notes. “No, for now, I think that’s about it, but you will need to come back in a week for a progress report.”
Cara hopped off the chair. “Great, any medication I should be taking? Cream I should be applying?”
Jack began to click his pen as he looked deep in thought. “There’s anti-swelling cream I’ll prescribe, and a mild pain killer in case it’s too much to handle, but I think you won’t need that. I mean, if you hadn’t told me what happened, I would’ve assumed it was something worse, considering the nature of the injury.”
Cara shrugged. “It was just a punch.”
Jack shook his head. “Hell of a punch, then.”
They lapsed into silence as Cara let her eyes float across the room noting the bare walls, the neutral colors. His office certainly wasn’t the same as the old one. The old one had a lot more life and color, but that was because she had insisted that she decorate it for him. After all, she couldn’t let him go to work every day in such a lifeless office. She shook her head at the memory and gazed at his empty desk space.
“Why did you punch him then?” Jack asked finally as he let his eyes trail up to meet hers.
Cara stared at him. “I don’t think that’s any of your business. I mean it’s not going to help you with your diagnosis, is it?”
Jack sighed. “No, it won’t. Cara, please. I’m just asking as someone who is concerned.”
“You have a very odd way of showing concern,” Cara commented very dryly.
“You know that I do care, regardless of our past. That still applies.”
Cara picked up a knick-knack off his desk and then put it back. “Whether it does, or doesn’t isn’t any of my business. Either way, it doesn’t apply to the present.”
Jack stared at her for a beat. “So, you want to just pretend I’m your doctor, and that we never met before?”
Cara snapped her fingers. “Bingo! He can be taught.”
Jack grimaced. “That’s a really passive aggressive attitude to have, don’t you think?”
Cara’s eyes snapped up to meet his. “Pot calling the kettle black, Jack.” She tossed out his name like it was some kind of curse. “Or did you forget what happened?”
“Of course, I haven’t forgotten,” he said quietly.
Cara tossed him a look. “Look, I’m not going to fight you, or smear your reputation or whatever. I just want my x-ray, and my prescription, so I can go home.”
“I understand that.” Jack stood up and strode towards a cabinet in the back of the room. He took out a few things and walked back to his desk where he placed them.
“I never meant for things to turn out the way they did, Car. You have to understand that.”
“Which part? Sharing secrets with your ex-girlfriend behind my back? Or for making me feel like the worst kind of garbage for calling you out on it?”
Jack agitatedly ran his hands through his hair. “Both, and everything else too. Pushing you away, and lying about things.”
“I appreciate that Jack, I do, but it doesn’t change what happened. I don’t even know why you did it.”
Jack stared at her, sadly. “I didn’t do it to hurt you, or because I wanted anything from her. It’s only that we had a long history, and talking to her was easy.”
Cara gave him a sad smile. “Easier than talking to your own girlfriend apparently.”
Jack shook his head empathically. “No, Cara. I want you to know, it was never anything you did or said. It was all me. You’re just so sensitive, and sometimes when you worry, it makes you physically sick, and I didn’t want to add to that.”
Cara stared him for a second. “So, you thought that keeping me in the dark would be better? Wow, we really do have different approaches when it comes to the way we think.”
Jack exhaled. “I know we are, and I know that we said we’d never let that become an issue between us, and it shouldn’t have. It was a mistake.”
Cara looked at a blank spot on the wall. “It was, but you were right about one thing, Jack.”
She could feel Jack burning holes into the back of her head. “What do you mean?”
“Remember what you said that day when we couldn’t decide what movie to watch, and when you picked a show, I didn’t want to watch it because we have different tastes in things? You said that even though we were different, we had to try. What we didn’t realize is that trying wasn’t enough. In the end, we were just too different. That’s nobody’s fault. Your actions, and my reactions might have broken the proverbial straw on the camel’s back, but I think it had been brewing for a while. It just snowballed.”
She could hear the sound of Jack’s heavy breathing. “So, you don’t blame me?”
Cara turned around to face him. “Oh, no, I do.”
Cara held up her hand to signal for him to wait till she was finished. “The thing is though, I blame myself too. We both made mistakes, and that’s what looking at our relationship from an objective perspective has taught me. Everything seems so intense when you’re actually living it, but when you take a step back and try to look at things differently, it all becomes clearer. We just weren’t ready for each other, and maybe we never were, and that’s okay.”
Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. “I guess you’re right. That’s a very mature way of looking at it. I’m glad you were able to reach that conclusion since it gave you the closure you needed.”
Something in his tone made Cara pause and study him. “I have a feeling you want to say something else.”
Jack’s eyes snapped up to meet hers. “You always were able to tell when I had something I wanted to say.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Look, I think it’s great that you found closure, and I know that I messed up and didn’t do right by you, but when I said that we were different, I didn’t mean it like that. Different can be good. You’re the one who always said we balanced each other out. That I was the yin to your yang.”
“I used to believe that. I thought that it was true, and in the beginning, it seemed to be, but in the end, your speck of light was gone, and your darkness nearly consumed me.”
Sadness was etched all over Jack’s features. “I know, and believe me, no amount of regret can truly encompass the sorrow that I feel for having put you through that, but I don’t agree with you. I think our differences made us greater. It was just life that got in the way, and that couldn’t be helped.”
Cara shrugged. “It wasn’t life that got in the way, Jack, and I needed to say that. It was the hardest wakeup call I’ve ever had. Like a slap to the fact that still reverberated long after the mark faded away, but I desperately needed to see that.”